Footswitch for lathe

[Jim Kountz]

Anyone use a footswitch on their lathe for on/off functions, and if so what brand/model did you go with??

Jim

[Bernie Weishapl]

Nope Jim because I am always moving around to much to use one. Don't see a need to anyway.

[Jason Beam]

I wouldn't.

You need to move your body when you're turning. You need your eyes, ears, head and both hands in the game. I wouldn't add my foot to it, too. You'll likely frustrate yourself with unexpectedly stopping your lathe.

[Jon Lanier]

Oh man, just the little work I've been doing so far, I'd be kicking the thing off and on constantly. A kick board on the other hand might work?

[joe greiner]

Doesn't sound like a good idea to me. If you're generating a serious amount of shavings it'd get buried right quick and you wouldn't be able to find it. A rigid kick board, hinged at both ends of the bed, and engaging an emergency stop, would make more sense, like Jon says. Switch mounted at the midpoint. The switch could be pull-on push-off, or push-on push-off. Enco 510-0748 or 510-0749 might be appropriate. Reid Supply also has heaps of such switches.

Joe

[Jude Kingery]

Hi Jim, yes, to go against the grain here so to speak, yep, I use a foot switch all the time. Ordered it with the lathe so I guess it's the VB brand. Has a shield on top of it, so it never gets completely covered up with shavings I guess. I do have both, hand switch and foot switch, but I find it very handy to kick it on/off. Just my two cents. Jude

[Jim Kountz]

Jude, thats what I was thinking to, and talk about safety, it would free both hands and if you had to you could shut the lathe down in a jiffy. I know one moves about alot when using the lathe but geez its not like we're taking our lathe out for a walk or something. Centrally located, a covered footswitch like the one you metioned I think would be ideal. Thanks for the input everyone!

[Jim Becker]

I would be uncomfortable with any kind of foot switch given the ease of accidental engagement and the fact that you can't really see where it is when you're working. I prefer a movable switch system that you can place close at hand to wherever your body position is for a given operation so you can avoid reaching across the workpiece/spindle to shut down. (or start)

[Jerry Allen]

I think there are times I might find it useful when both my hands are tied up, but I tend to agree that it would throw of your balance. Having both available might be good. A covered switch should be safe enough. Seems to me that in one of the Del Stubbs videos, he was using a foot lever to vary the speed while working.

[Marvin Hasenak]

I have seen Jude's foot switch and lathe, with the cover there is no way to accidentally turn it on or off. It has a cover and easily accessible even with shavings. With the monsters that she turns I would say it is a pretty good investment. For me with my game calls or 6" bowls it would be a little overkill on safety, but one can never use enough safety features.

Marvin

[Jude Kingery]

Jim, yep, works for me incredibly well. Have a hand switch I can locate anywhere on the lathe I want, also a knee switch, but I always seem to prefer the foot switch. Think you'd like it and I sure haven't had any problems with it. If I can, I'll include a picture . . . Jude

[Rod Sheridan]

I have a foot switch for my lathe, off only, in addition to a start/stop pushbutton station.


Regards, Rod.

[Bob Hallowell]

Jim,
With having some incite on how your are setting up your lathe with the vfd I don't see how a foot switch will work unless you don't plan to use reverse. You don't want to be kill the power to you vfd till you are done if you try to shut you lathe down that way it will bring in an alarm on you vfd that need reset. so it will need to be done with your remote switches. I like to have on one switch fwd/off/rev but only the fwd and the rev are hooked to the vfd the off is just a dead connection. if you would to have 2 switches say a foot for forward and a toggle for reverese you could accidently turn them both on at once.

Bob